Texas lawmakers honor Nelson Mandela at memorial in South Africa

Several members of Congress joined with world leaders Tuesday to celebrate the life of former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died last week at 95 after battling a lung disease.

Among the Texas delegation to attend the funeral were Reps. Al Green and Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston, who attended with the Congressional Black Caucus; and Sen. Ted Cruz, one of only two Republicans in Congress to attend.

A mother and her children light candles during a church service in honor of Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi / Associate Press)

Two other caucus members, Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas and Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, were scheduled to attend the funeral but were deterred by an ice storm that hit Texas and other scheduling conflicts, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The funeral, held this morning, was attended by leaders from all around the world, including President Barack Obama and former U.S. president George W. Bush.

In his remarks, Obama thanked South Africa for sharing Mandela with the world, and said it was hard to eulogize “a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.”

Green also issued a statement marking Mandela’s death and called him a “personal hero.”

“Mandela’s impressive legacy is one of courage, dignity and righteousness in the face of hatred,” Green said in the statement. “May Mandela’s life and accomplishments serve as a timeless example of the triumph of justice.”